diff --git a/mesonbuild/arglist.py b/mesonbuild/arglist.py
index d88438957..d1d489bfd 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/arglist.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/arglist.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class CompilerArgs(collections.abc.MutableSequence):
     def __getitem__(self, index: slice) -> T.MutableSequence[str]:  # noqa: F811
         pass
 
-    def __getitem__(self, index):  # type: ignore  # noqa: F811
+    def __getitem__(self, index: T.Union[int, slice]) -> T.Union[str, T.MutableSequence[str]]:  # noqa: F811
         self.flush_pre_post()
         return self._container[index]
 
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ class CompilerArgs(collections.abc.MutableSequence):
     def __setitem__(self, index: slice, value: T.Iterable[str]) -> None:  # noqa: F811
         pass
 
-    def __setitem__(self, index, value) -> None:  # type: ignore  # noqa: F811
+    def __setitem__(self, index: T.Union[int, slice], value: T.Union[str, T.Iterable[str]]) -> None:  # noqa: F811
         self.flush_pre_post()
-        self._container[index] = value
+        self._container[index] = value  # type: ignore  # TODO: fix 'Invalid index type' and 'Incompatible types in assignment' erros
 
     def __delitem__(self, index: T.Union[int, slice]) -> None:
         self.flush_pre_post()
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class CompilerArgs(collections.abc.MutableSequence):
         new += self
         return new
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool]:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool]:
         self.flush_pre_post()
         # Only allow equality checks against other CompilerArgs and lists instances
         if isinstance(other, CompilerArgs):
diff --git a/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py b/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
index 19fedbf6f..d7d982e44 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/ast/introspection.py
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ class IntrospectionInterpreter(AstInterpreter):
         return None
 
     def is_subproject(self) -> bool:
-        return str(self.subproject) != ''
+        return self.subproject != ''
 
     def analyze(self) -> None:
         self.load_root_meson_file()
diff --git a/mesonbuild/build.py b/mesonbuild/build.py
index bf325b090..369ac7bf6 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/build.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/build.py
@@ -372,22 +372,22 @@ a hard error in the future.'''.format(name))
         if not hasattr(self, 'typename'):
             raise RuntimeError('Target type is not set for target class "{}". This is a bug'.format(type(self).__name__))
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
         if not hasattr(other, 'get_id') and not callable(other.get_id):
             return NotImplemented
         return self.get_id() < other.get_id()
 
-    def __le__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
+    def __le__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
         if not hasattr(other, 'get_id') and not callable(other.get_id):
             return NotImplemented
         return self.get_id() <= other.get_id()
 
-    def __gt__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
+    def __gt__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
         if not hasattr(other, 'get_id') and not callable(other.get_id):
             return NotImplemented
         return self.get_id() > other.get_id()
 
-    def __ge__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
+    def __ge__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, type(NotImplemented)]:
         if not hasattr(other, 'get_id') and not callable(other.get_id):
             return NotImplemented
         return self.get_id() >= other.get_id()
diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/boost.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/boost.py
index 6e9586029..370fa72d1 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/boost.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/boost.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class BoostIncludeDir():
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return '<BoostIncludeDir: {} -- {}>'.format(self.version, self.path)
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, BoostIncludeDir):
             return (self.version_int, self.path) < (other.version_int, other.path)
         return NotImplemented
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class BoostLibraryFile():
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return '<LIB: {} {:<32} {}>'.format(self.abitag, self.mod_name, self.path)
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, BoostLibraryFile):
             return (
                 self.mod_name, self.static, self.version_lib, self.arch,
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class BoostLibraryFile():
             )
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, BoostLibraryFile):
             return self.name == other.name
         return NotImplemented
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ class BoostDependency(ExternalDependency):
         self.debug = buildtype.startswith('debug')
         self.multithreading = kwargs.get('threading', 'multi') == 'multi'
 
-        self.boost_root = None  # type: Path
+        self.boost_root = None  # type: T.Optional[Path]
         self.explicit_static = 'static' in kwargs
 
         # Extract and validate modules
diff --git a/mesonbuild/envconfig.py b/mesonbuild/envconfig.py
index 127066652..836ec069b 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/envconfig.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/envconfig.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class Properties:
             return p
         return mesonlib.listify(p)
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
         if isinstance(other, type(self)):
             return self.properties == other.properties
         return NotImplemented
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ class MachineInfo:
         self.endian = endian
         self.is_64_bit = cpu_family in CPU_FAMILES_64_BIT  # type: bool
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
-        if self.__class__ is not other.__class__:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
+        if self.__class__ is not other.__class__ or not isinstance(other, MachineInfo):
             return NotImplemented
         return \
             self.system == other.system and \
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ class MachineInfo:
             self.cpu == other.cpu and \
             self.endian == other.endian
 
-    def __ne__(self, other: T.Any) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
-        if self.__class__ is not other.__class__:
+    def __ne__(self, other: object) -> 'T.Union[bool, NotImplemented]':
+        if self.__class__ is not other.__class__ or not isinstance(other, MachineInfo):
             return NotImplemented
         return not self.__eq__(other)
 
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py b/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
index 769a904cd..6cc3c081a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mesonlib.py
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ class File:
     def split(self, s: str) -> T.List[str]:
         return self.fname.split(s)
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if not isinstance(other, File):
             return NotImplemented
         if self.hash != other.hash:
@@ -327,23 +327,23 @@ class OrderedEnum(Enum):
     """
     An Enum which additionally offers homogeneous ordered comparison.
     """
-    def __ge__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
-        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
+    def __ge__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(other, OrderedEnum)and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
             return self.value >= other.value
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __gt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
-        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
+    def __gt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(other, OrderedEnum)and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
             return self.value > other.value
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __le__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
-        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
+    def __le__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(other, OrderedEnum)and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
             return self.value <= other.value
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
-        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if self.__class__ is other.__class__ and isinstance(other, OrderedEnum) and isinstance(self.value, int) and isinstance(other.value, int):
             return self.value < other.value
         return NotImplemented
 
@@ -609,32 +609,32 @@ class Version:
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return '<Version: {}>'.format(self._s)
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self.__cmp(other, operator.lt)
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __gt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __gt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self.__cmp(other, operator.gt)
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __le__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __le__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self.__cmp(other, operator.le)
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __ge__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __ge__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self.__cmp(other, operator.ge)
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self._v == other._v
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __ne__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __ne__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, Version):
             return self._v != other._v
         return NotImplemented
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ def unholder(item: T.List[_T]) -> T.List[_T]: ...
 @T.overload
 def unholder(item: T.List[T.Union[_T, 'ObjectHolder[_T]']]) -> T.List[_T]: ...
 
-def unholder(item):  # type: ignore  # TODO for some reason mypy throws the "Function is missing a type annotation" error
+def unholder(item):  # type: ignore  # TODO fix overload (somehow)
     """Get the held item of an object holder or list of object holders."""
     if isinstance(item, list):
         return [i.held_object if hasattr(i, 'held_object') else i for i in item]
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mintro.py b/mesonbuild/mintro.py
index 1e400b0d8..66bbe2ab8 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mintro.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mintro.py
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ from .mparser import BaseNode, FunctionNode, ArrayNode, ArgumentNode, StringNode
 from .interpreter import Interpreter
 from pathlib import PurePath
 import typing as T
-import os, argparse
+import os
+import argparse
 
 def get_meson_info_file(info_dir: str) -> str:
     return os.path.join(info_dir, 'meson-info.json')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mparser.py b/mesonbuild/mparser.py
index e3868583f..a60109d01 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mparser.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mparser.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class Token(T.Generic[TV_TokenTypes]):
         self.bytespan = bytespan      # type: T.Tuple[int, int]
         self.value = value            # type: TV_TokenTypes
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, str):
             return self.tid == other
         elif isinstance(other, Token):
diff --git a/mesonbuild/scripts/depfixer.py b/mesonbuild/scripts/depfixer.py
index 76cf2b50a..18d70cca9 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/scripts/depfixer.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/scripts/depfixer.py
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ class Elf(DataSizes):
         new_rpath = b':'.join(new_rpaths)
 
         if len(old_rpath) < len(new_rpath):
-            msg = "New rpath must not be longer than the old one.\n Old: {!r}\n New: {!r}".format(old_rpath, new_rpath)
+            msg = "New rpath must not be longer than the old one.\n Old: {}\n New: {}".format(old_rpath.decode('utf-8'), new_rpath.decode('utf-8'))
             sys.exit(msg)
         # The linker does read-only string deduplication. If there is a
         # string that shares a suffix with the rpath, they might get
diff --git a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
index eacc1ddd5..68f83c129 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/wrap/wrap.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class WrapNotFoundException(WrapException):
 class PackageDefinition:
     def __init__(self, fname: str):
         self.filename = fname
-        self.type = None  # type: str
+        self.type = None  # type: T.Optional[str]
         self.values = {} # type: T.Dict[str, str]
         self.provided_deps = {} # type: T.Dict[str, T.Optional[str]]
         self.provided_programs = [] # type: T.List[str]
diff --git a/run_project_tests.py b/run_project_tests.py
index c84388892..4566de12f 100755
--- a/run_project_tests.py
+++ b/run_project_tests.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class TestDef:
             return '{}   ({})'.format(self.path.as_posix(), self.name)
         return self.path.as_posix()
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> bool:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         if isinstance(other, TestDef):
             # None is not sortable, so replace it with an empty string
             s_id = int(self.path.name.split(' ')[0])
diff --git a/tools/boost_names.py b/tools/boost_names.py
index b66c6cc1e..897b4fd6d 100755
--- a/tools/boost_names.py
+++ b/tools/boost_names.py
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ class BoostLibrary():
         self.single = sorted(set(single))
         self.multi = sorted(set(multi))
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
         if isinstance(other, BoostLibrary):
             return self.name < other.name
         return NotImplemented
 
-    def __eq__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
         if isinstance(other, BoostLibrary):
             return self.name == other.name
         elif isinstance(other, str):
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class BoostModule():
         self.desc = desc
         self.libs = libs
 
-    def __lt__(self, other: T.Any) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
+    def __lt__(self, other: object) -> T.Union[bool, 'NotImplemented']:
         if isinstance(other, BoostModule):
             return self.key < other.key
         return NotImplemented